Insider's look at the 'hot seat'

If you've ever wondered about the "hot seat" on the stage at an Elite Series event or Bassmaster Classic, you might be interested to know that it comes by its name honestly. The hot seat is actually heated to a balmy 135 degrees to make the angler sitting on it more than a little uncomfortable. That, along with the professional pressure of leading a major tournament, is why the guy sitting in it squirms so much.

The seat is also electrified — a lot! The reasoning behind that is two-fold. First, when the angler sitting in the hot seat is ousted by another fisherman who has just bested his catch and taken the lead, we need the guy out of the chair ... now! They can linger in the weigh-in line or the boatyard, not on the stage when we need to crown a champion.

Second, we really bump up the charge when the angler in the hot seat has just officially won the tournament. After the last challenger has weighed in and fallen short, B.A.S.S. officials run a full charge through the chair in order to propel the winner out toward the crowd and get that primal scream and menacing look that you've seen so often on The Bassmasters and in Bassmaster Magazine.

And if you believe that, I've got a bass pond in Alaska to sell you. After all, an Elite title, the big blue trophy, $100K and a berth in the Bassmaster Classic is more than enough to get anyone jumping out of the hot seat!